Adjusting expectations can be key: if you set them low enough, anything that doesn’t lead to outright failure feels like a triumph.
Aki Sasaki, who many consider the most gifted pitcher to come from Japan, was anticipated to be vying for the Cy Young by now. Yet, his debut this season on Monday wasn’t significantly impressive. Still, he managed to pitch four innings, and for now, the Dodgers have to take that as a win.
Going forward, the team should evaluate Sasaki’s role in the rotation more constructively, rather than hastily deciding if he needs to move to the bullpen or be sent down to the minors.
In a recent 4-2 loss against the Cleveland Guardians, the fact that it felt more like a win speaks volumes about Sasaki’s current standing.
It’s worth recalling that the Dodgers’ general manager, Brandon Gomez, previously likened Sasaki to Paul Skeens in his first press conference—high praise, indeed.
Interestingly, Sasaki himself felt a bit of a disconnect. He reminded reporters not to get overly excited about a relatively uneventful shutout of the Guardians during his four innings.
In his words, “Although I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the outcome, I think I can take a step forward knowing that it was better than what I showed in spring training.” That said, spring training wasn’t kind to him. He delivered a dismal ERA of 15.58 across four games, leaving him shaken and uncertain.
“I wasn’t really confident,” he admitted. “Honestly, I was probably more nervous than anyone.” However, a silver lining was that he maintained his velocity throughout camp, which carried over into the game against the Guardians.
Out of the 38 four-seam fastballs he threw, five exceeded 99 mph, and 28 were over 97 mph. Notably, he clocked 97.9 mph against Angel Martinez, the only batter he faced in the fifth inning.
“I think I can throw even harder if I keep improving and gain more confidence,” he said, emphasizing that he focused more on spreading out his pitches rather than just speed, especially after struggling to find the strike zone previously.
Though he struck out four batters, there were still worrisome patterns. Despite having only two walks, that was more a reflection of the Guardians’ plate discipline than his control.
At times, his pitches veered into the wrong zone, yet the Guardians weren’t able to capitalize, managing just three hits. One key moment happened when he threw a low fastball to Austin Hedges, who doubled into right field. Shortly after, a cutter led to a double by Stephen Kwan, which scored Hedges.
Perhaps his struggle to grasp the forkball was the most concerning aspect, with only 28% of those pitches finding the strike zone, and when they didn’t, the misses were significant.
Yet, Sasaki appeared defiant in his outlook: “There are various reasons for what happened today; I want to reflect on them, but I did manage to strike someone out and those are steps in the right direction.”
Despite an rocky end to spring training, he showcased a bit more resilience this time around, especially since he once said he’d be okay with being sent back to the minors if it was in the team’s best interest.
However, Sasaki is keenly aware that he’s a liability for the bullpen right now. With fellow pitcher Emmett Sheehan struggling, it’s hard to see how he can stick around effectively.
Even if Sasaki hasn’t definitively proved that he deserves his spot in a team aiming for the World Series, he’s not ruling himself out just yet. For now, the Dodgers seem willing to give him the chance.
